GB2510951A

GB2510951A - Motor vehicle body with wheel installation strut

Info

Publication number: GB2510951A
Application number: GB1321518.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Udo Mildner; Lothar Teske
Original assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Current assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Priority date: 2012-12-05
Filing date: 2013-12-05
Publication date: 2014-08-20
Also published as: GB201321518D0; US9039072B2; GB201321682D0; US20140152052A1; CN103935401B; CN103935401A; DE102012023784A1

Abstract

A motor vehicle body has a lateral front wall 1 connected to a wheel installation strut having an inner component (2, Figure 6), which may have a spring strut mount (2.1, Figure 6), and an outer component 3, 4 having an outer side wall (3.1, Figure 3, 4.1, Figure 4). Outer component 3, 4 comprises a front portion 3 with a lower front flange (3.2, Figure 3), and optionally an upper front flange (3.3, Figure 3), at most 20 degrees to the horizontal and connectable to the inner component, and a rear portion 4 with a lower rear flange (4.4, Figure 4), and optionally an upper rear flange (4.5, Figure 4), at most 20 degrees to the vertical and connectable to wall 1. Front portion 3 and rear portion 4 may be separate components connected at an overlap portion (34, Figure 2). At least one component may be formed by deep drawing. Rear portion 4 may be connected to a hinge pillar 6.

Description

MOTOR VEHICLE BODY WITH WHEEL INSTALLATION STRUT

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle body, in particular a passenger car body, with a lateral front wall and a wheel installation strut connected to the latter and a method for producing such a motor vehicle body.

From DE 43 29 050 C2 a body in white with a wheel installation strut is known, which is welded to a lateral front wall with vertically offset welding faces.

Vertically offset welding faces enlarge the vertical overall height of the wheel installation strut. On the other hand, the vertical overall height that is available in the front region of the wheel installation strut is limited, in particular because of a jounce of the front wheels and/or of a predetermined pedestrian protection deformation travel of the hood.

An object of an embodiment of the present invention is to make available an improved motor vehicle body.

This object is solved through the features of Claim 1 and 13 respectively.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are subject of the subclaims.

A motor vehicle body according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a lateral front wall or a front wall side part. In an embodiment, this can have an L-shaped cross section, wherein an upper leg can form a support of a windshield.

The lateral front wall can in particular form a part of an A-pillar of the body.

A wheel installation strut is connected to the lateral front wall, which strut comprises an inner component and an outer component connected therewith, which in an embodiment form a box-shaped cross-sectional profile of the wheel installation strut.

The outer component comprises an outer side wall, which in an embodiment forms an angle with the vertical, which amounts to a maximum of 20°, in particular to a maximum of 100. References to the vertical or perpendicular or gravitational direction and the horizontal or normal to the gravitational direction relate in particularto a design position of the body, in which its transverse axis is parallel to the horizontal and its vertical axis parallel to the vertical. Thus, an outer side wall which forms an angle with the vertical that amounts to a maximum of 20°, in particular to a maximum of 10°, is substantially vertical. Angle details relate in particular to the amount of the angle. Thus, an outer side wall, which forms an angle a with the vertical, can be inclined against the vertical by ± a.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the outer component comprises a front portion with a lower front connecting flange, which is connected to the inner component and forms an angle with the horizontal which amounts to a maximum of 20°, in particular to at least substantially 0°, and a rear portion with a lower rear connecting flange, which is connected to the lateral front wall and forms an angle with the vertical, which amounts to a maximum of 20°, in particular at least substantially 0°.

In an embodiment, the outer component thus comprises a front portion with a lower front connecting flange which -at least substantially -is offset horizontally from the outer side wall or forms an angle with the horizontal which amounts to a maximum of 20°, and a rear portion with a lower rear connecting flange which -at least substantially -is oriented vertically or forms an angle with the vertical which amounts to a maximum of 20°, and which is connected to the lateral front wail.

The location detail "front" and "rear" relate in particular to the forward travelling direction, so that a front portion or a front component in particular can be arranged nearer to a front of the body than a rear portion or a rear component.

Accordingly, location details "inner and "outer in particular relates to a direction from the vehicle interior to the outside, so that an outer component in particular can be nearer to an outside of the body than an inner component.

Through the vertical rear connecting flange, the outer component can be connected in its rear portion to the lateral front wall in an optimal manner.

Additionally or alternatively, the vertical height of the wheel installation strut in the front portion can be reduced through the horizontal front connecting flange and thus in particular a larger jounce travel of the front wheels and/or a larger pedestrian protection deformation travel be combined with a wheel installation strut cross-sectional profile with a high geometrical moment of inertia.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the front portion of the outer component comprises at least one front outer component, which in turn comprises the lower front connecting flange. Additionally or alternatively, the rear portion of the outer component comprises at least one rear outer component, which in turn comprises the lower rear connecting flange and is connected to this front outer component. Through this two or multiple-part design, the production and/or assembly of the outer component in particular can be improved.

In an embodiment, the rear outer component is connected to the front outer component in an overlap portion. Front and rear outer component can comprise at least substantially complementary contours in the overlap portion. In an embodiment, the overlap portion in vehicle or wheel installation strut longitudinal direction is at least 15 mm, in particular at least 30 mm and / or a maximum of 40 mm, in particular a maximum of 25 mm long. This optimally combines weight and strength requirements. In an embodiment, the overlap portion comprises one or two rows of spot welds with which the front and rear outer component are connected to one another.

In an embodiment, the front portion of the outer component, in particular the front outer component, comprises an upper front connecting flange, which is connected to the inner component, forms an angle with the horizontal which amounts to a maximum of 20°, and which is offset from the outer side wall in the opposite direction to the lower front connecting flange or to the side located opposite. In an embodiment, the front portion, in particular the front outer component, thus comprises a Z-shaped cross section with the side wall and the two front connecting flanges horizontally projecting from said side wall in the opposite direction or towards sides which are located opposite.

In an embodiment, the inner component comprises a lower connecting flange, which is connected to the lower front connecting flange of the outer component, and an upper connecting flange which is offset in an opposite direction, which is connected tothe upper front connecting flange of the outer component and forms an angle with the horizontal which amounts to a maximum of 20°. In an embodiment, the inner component thus also comprises at least in a front portion a Z-shaped cross section with the side wall and the two connecting flanges horizontally projecting from the said side wall in opposite direction. By connecting the upper and/or lower connecting flanges or the Z-shaped front portions of the inner and outer component, in particular of the outer front component, a wheel installation strut with box-like profile and connecting flanges horizontally projecting in opposite direction is formed in an embodiment.

In an embodiment, the rear outer component comprises a lower flank, which is offset from the outer side wall and connected to the front lower connecting flange of the front outer component. Additionally or alternatively, the rear outer component can comprise an upper flank which, is offset from the outer side wall in particular in the same direction or towards the same side and is connected to the front upper connecting flange of the front outer component. In an embodiment, the rear outer component thus comprises a C-shaped cross section with the side wall and the two flanks which horizontally project from said side wall in the same direction or towards the same side. In this way, the box-like profile of the wheel installation strut can also be formed together with the lateral front wall in the rear portion or through the rear outer component. Additionally or alternatively to the connection of the upper andlor lower flank to the upper or lower connecting flange of the front outer component, the side walls of the front and rear outer component can be connected to one another in the overlap portion.

These flanks in turn can be followed by vertical connecting flanges of the rear outer component. Generally, the rear portion of the outer component in an embodiment of the present invention comprises an upper and/or a lower flank, which is offset from the outer side wall, and from which in turn a rear upper or lower vertical connecting flange of the outer component is offset in opposite direction. In an embodiment of the present invention, the rear portion of the outer component comprises an upper rear connecting flange, which is connected to the lateral front wall and forms an angle with the vertical which amounts to a maximum of 20°.

The upper andlor lower vertical connecting flange in an embodiment extends only over a part of the length of the rear outer component. In this way, an optimal connection to the lateral front wall through the vertical connecting flange or connecting flanges can be combined with an optimal connection to the front outer component in the overlap portion.

In an embodiment, the inner component comprises a spring strut mounting. In an embodiment, this can be formed as a casting and/or be connected to a front inner component, in order to form the inner component together.

In an embodiment, two or more of the components explained above can be connected to one another in a materially joined and/or frictionally joined manner, in particular the outer to the inner component, the front and rear outer component, the wheel installation strut to the lateral front wall and/or the spring strut mounting to the front inner component. In an embodiment, this can optimise weight, strength and/or production. Two or more of the components explained above can be welded together in particular, in particular by means of C02-welding and/or spot welding. Additionally or alternatively, two or more of the components explained above can be in particular glued, riveted, caulked and/or screwed to one another.

In an embodiment, one or a plurality of the components explained above can be produced by means of deep drawing. In an embodiment, this can optimise weight, strength and/or production.

In an embodiment, a hinge pillar is connected to the rear portion of the outer component in order to -at least partially -form an A-pillar of the motor vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the outer and the inner component are connected to one another and to the lateral front wall. In particular, the front and rear outer component can be connected to one another.

In advance, at the same time or thereafter, the front outer component can be connected to the inner component. In advance, at the same time or thereafter, the rear outer component can be connected to the lateral front wall, the inner component and/or the hinge pillar.

Further advantageous further developments of the present invention are obtained from the subclaims and from the following description of preferred embodiments. To this it shows partly schematically: Fig. 1 a part of a motor vehicle body according to an embodiment of the present invention in a perspective view; Fig. 2 the motor vehicle body of Fig. 1 without hinge pillar; Fig. 3 a front cuter component of the outer component of Fig. 5; Fig, 4 a rear outer component of the outer component of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 an outer component of a wheel installation strut of the motor vehicle body of Fig. 1, 2; Fig. 6 a lateralfrontwall and an innercomponentofthewheel installation strut of the motor vehicle body of Fig. 1, 2 connected therewith; Fig. 7 a section along the line VIl-VIl in Fig. 1; Fig. 8 a section along the line VIll-Vill in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 a section along the line IX-IX in Fig. 1; Fig. 10 a section along the line X-X in Fig 1; and Fig. 11 a section along the line Xl-Xl in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1, 2 show a part of a motor vehicle body according to an embodiment of the present invention in a perspective view from the front. The motor vehicle body comprises a lateral front wall I with an L-shaped cross section, wherein an upper leg 1.1 forms a support of a windshield (not shown).

A wheel installation strut is connected to the lateral front wall, which strut comprises an inner component 2 (see in particular Fig. 6) and an outer component (see in particular Fig. 5) connected therewith in an overlap portion 34 with a front outer component 3 (see in particular Fig. 3) and a rear component 4 (see in particular Fig. 4).

The outer component or its front outer component 3 and its rear outer component 4 each comprise an outer side wall 3.1 and 4.1 respectively, which in the -7-.

exemplary embodiment form an angle with the vertical, which exemplarily amounts to approximately 0°.

The front outer component 3 forms a part of a front portion of the outer component and comprises a lower front connecting flange 3.2 and an upper front connecting flange 3.3 offset in opposite direction, which is welded to a lower or offset-in -opposite-direction upper connecting flange 2.2 and 2.3 respectively of the inner component 2 directly or via a flank 4.5 of the rear outer component 4 and with the horizontal form an angle between 00 (see in particular section IX-lX of Fig. 9) and 10° in the overlap portion (see in particular section VIll-VIll of Fig. 8).

Tensile element rear outer component 4 in particular forms a rear portion of the outer component with a lower rear connecting flange 4.4 and an upper rear connecting flange 4.5, which are welded to the lateral front wall I and with the vertical form an angle of approximately 00 (see in particular section X-X of Fig. 10).

Through these vertical rear connecting flanges 4.4, 4.5 the outer component in its rear portion can be optimally connected to the lateral front wall 1. Through the horizontal front connecting flanges 3.2, 3.3, the vertical height of the wheel installation strut in the front portion can be reduced and thus in particular a larger jounce travel of the front wheels and/or a larger pedestrian protection deformation travel be combined with a wheel installation strut cross-sectional profile with a high geometrical moment of inertia.

The rear outer component 4 in the overlap portion 34 is connected to the front outer component 3. To this end, the front and rear outer component 3, 4 have complementary contours in the overlap portion 34. In particular, the rear outer component 4 comprises a lower flank 4.2, which is offset from its outer side wall 4.1 and connected to the front lower connecting flange 3.2 of the front outer component 3 and forms an angle with the horizontal at approximately 0°.

Additionally, the rear outer component 4 comprises an upper flank 4.3, which is offset from its outer side wall 4.1 in the same direction and connected to the front upper connecting flange 3.3 of the front outer component 3 and forms an angle with a horizontal of approximately 100, in order to improve a deep drawing. These flanks 4.3, 4.4 in turn are followed by the vertical connecting flanges 4.4, 4.5 of the rear outer component 4. The upper and lower vertical connecting flange 4.3, 4.4 only extends over a part of the length of the rear outer component 4.

The overlap portion 34 in vehicle orwheel installation strut longitudinal direction is approximately 20 mm or approximately 35mm long in order to accommodate one or two rows of spot welds or rivets. In the figures, components are connected through spot welds or rivets, which for the more compact representation are uniformly represented and marked with the reference number 5.

The inner component 2 comprises a lower connecting flange 2.2, which is connected to the Fowerfront connecting flange 3.2 of the front outer component 3, and an upper connecting flange 2.3 offset in opposite direction, which is connected to the upper front connecting flange 3.3 of the outer component 3 (see in particular section VIll-VIll, IX-lX of Fig. 8, 9) in order to form a wheel installation strut with a box-like profile and connecting flanges horizontally projecting in opposite direction in the front portion.

The inner component 2 comprises a spring strut mounting 2.1, which in the exemplary embodiment is formed as a casting and is connected to a front inner component 2.4, in order to form the inner component 2 together.

The front and rear outer component 3, 4 are connected in the overlap portion 34 through spot welds or rivets 5, in particular by connecting connecting flange 3.2 and flank 4.2, connecting flange 3.3 and flank 4.3 and/or side wall 3.1 and 4.1. In advance, at the same time or thereafter, the front outer component 3 and the inner component 2 are connected through spot welds or rivets 5, in particular by connecting connecting flange 3.2 and 2.2 and/or connecting flange 3.3 and 2.3.

In advance, at the same time or thereafter, the rear outer component 4 and the inner component 2 are connected through spot welds or rivets 5, in particular by connecting flank 4.2 and connecting flange 2.2 and/or flank 4.3 and connecting flange 2.3. In advance, at the same time or thereafter, the rear outer component 4 and the lateral front wall 1 are connected through spot welds or rivets 5, in particular through connecting connecting flange 4.4 and/or 4.5. In advance, at the same time or thereafter, the spring strut mounting 2.1 and/or a hinge pillar 6 is/are connected through spot welds or rivets 5. -9-.

One or a plurality of the components explained above, in particular the rear outer component 4, can be produced by means of the drawing.

Although in the preceding description exemplary embodiments were explained, it is pointed out that a multiplicity of modifications is possible. It is additionally pointed out that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples which are not intended to restrict the scope of protection, the applications and the construction in any way. The person skilled in the art is rather given a guideline for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment through the preceding description, wherein various changes, in particular with respect to the function and arrangement of the described parts can be carried out without leaving the scope of protection as is obtained from the claims and feature combinations that are equivalent to these.

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LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Lateral front wall 1.1 Upper leg or windshield support 2 Inner component 2.1 Spring strut mounting 2.2/2.3 Lower/upper horizontal connecting flange 2.4 Front inner component 3 Front outer component 3.1 Sidewall 3.2/3.3 Lower/upper horizontal connecting flange 4 Rear outer component 4.1 Side wall 4.2/4.3 Lower/upper horizontal flank 4.4/4.5 Lower/upper vertical connecting flange Spot weld/rivet 6 Hinge pillar 34 Overlap portion

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS1. A motor vehicle body with a lateral front wall (1) and a wheel installation strut connected therewith with an inner component (2) and an outer component (3.4) with an outer side waIl (3.1, 4.1), wherein the outer component comprises a front portion (3) with a lower front connecting flange (3.2), which is connected to the inner component (2) and forms an angle with the horizontal which amounts to a maximum of 20°, and a rear portion (4) with a lower rear connecting flange (4.4), which is connected to the lateral front wall (1) and forms an angle with the vertical which amounts to a maximum of 20°.
2. The motor vehicle body according to the preceding claim, wherein the front portion of the outer component comprises a front outer component (3), which comprises the lower front connecting flange (3.2), and the rear portion of the outer component comprises a rear outer component (4), which comprises the lower rear connecting flange (4.4) and is connected to the front outer component (3).
3. The motor vehicle body according to the preceding claim, wherein the rear outer component (4) is connected to the front outer component (3) in an overlap portion (34).
4. The motor vehicle body according to the preceding claim, wherein the rear outer component (4) comprises at least one flank (4.2, 4.3), which is offset from the outer side wall (4.1) and is connected to a front connecting flange (3.2, 3.3) of the front outer component (3).
5. The motor vehicle body according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front portion (3) of the outer component comprises an upper front connecting flange (3.3), which is connected to the inner component (2), forms an angle with the horizontal which amounts to a maximum of 200 and is offset from the outer side wall in the direction opposite to the lower front connecting flange (3.2).
6. The motor vehicle body according to the preceding claim, wherein the inner component (2) comprises a lower connecting flange (2.2), which is connected to the lower front connecting flange (3.2) of the outer component (3) and an upper connecting flange (2.3) offset in opposite direction, which is connected to the upper front connecting flange (3.3) of the outer component (3).
7. The motor vehicle body according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear portion (4) of the outer component comprises an upper rear connecting flange (4.5), which is connected to the lateral front wall (1) and forms an angle with the vertical which amounts to a maximum of 200.
8. The motor vehicle body according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear portion (4) of the outer component comprises at least one flank (4.2, 4.3), which is offset from the outer side wall (4.1), and from which in turn a rear connecting flange (4.4,4.5) of the outer component is offset in opposite direction.
9. The motor vehicle body according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner component (2) comprises a spring strut mounting (2.1).
10. The motor vehicle body according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two components (1, 2.1, 2.2, 3, 4, 6) are connected to one another in a materially and/or frictionally joined manner.
11. The motor vehicle body according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one component (2, 3, 4) is produced by means of deep drawing.
12. The motor vehicle body according to any one of the preceding claims, with a hinge pillar (6), which is connected to the rear portion (4) of the outer component.
13. A method for producing a motor vehicle body according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer and the inner component (2, 3, 4) are connected to one another and to the lateral front wall (1).